Agreement between JAEA and the DOE for Cooperation in Research and Development Concerning Nuclear Material Control and Accounting Measures for Safeguards and Nonproliferation
The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) and the US Department of Energy (DOE) signed an "Agreement for Cooperation in Research and Development Concerning Nuclear Material Control and Accounting Measures for Safeguards and Nonproliferation" on 21 July 2006 at the DOE Headquarters in Washington D.C.
The objective of the Agreement is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of equipment and techniques used for safeguards and nonproliferation that implements policies and procedures pursuant to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
The former Japan Nuclear Cycle Development Institute (JNC) and the former Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) have been promoting cooperation with DOE for approximately 20 years before the integration of the those two organizations established the JAEA on 1 October 2005.
Under the new Agreement, JAEA and DOE will continue various existing cooperation projects as well as promote new research and development projects in order to strengthening nuclear nonproliferation as well as to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of safeguards technologies and equipments.
Cooperation topics:
- Development of Measurement Methods for Scrap Materials with High Impurities
- Study of the Stable Fission Gas Verification Methodology
- Studies of Nondestructive Assay (NDA) Systems for Measurement of Wastes at Tokai Reprocessing Plant (TRP)
- Study of the IDGS Technique for MOX Product Samples
- Nuclear Transparency
- Physical Protection for Nuclear Material Transportation
- Monju Reactor Remote Data Transfer System
- Preparation of Plutonium Reference Materials and Large Size Dried Spike
- Development of Regional Collaboration, Transparency and Secure Data Communications for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Transparency
- Study of Assay Techniques for TRP Pluse Filter
- Glovebox Unattended Assay and Monitoring System Test at PFPF
- Physical Protection of Nuclear Material Facilities
- Information Exchange concerning Development of Environmental Sample Analysis Technique
Mr. Jerry Paul, the Principal Deputy Administrator of DOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and Mr. Ryo KIMURA, JAEA Executive Director, have a strong handshake at the signing ceremony of the Agreement at the DOE Headquarters on 21 July 2006.